Kennedy and The Cold War 1960-1963

Ch 20 Section1 JFK and the Cold War What was the new military policy of JFK’s Administration? What was the crisis over Cuba? Why was Berlin a Cold War symbol of the 1960’s?

JFK’s Military Policy Kennedy built up the conventional and nuclear weapons systems to deter the USSR and to close the missile gap with the Soviets Between 1960-1962 military spending increased 30%, $43 billion to $56 billion The Special Forces or Green Berets were created Kennedy expanded the CIA and and Black Operations

The Bay Of Pigs Invasion Fidel Castro had led a revolution in Cuba and seized power from Batista in 1959 JFK learned of a CIA planned approved by IKE to train Cuban exiles and allow them to attack Cuba, and overthrow Castro In April 1961, 1,500 Cuban exiles never reached the beach The air strike failed and Castro waited with 25,000 troops and Soviet Weapons Kennedy, CIA, and the US were embarrassed on the world stage, total fiasco

Southeast Asia Kennedy sent in hundreds of Green Berets when the Vietcong Communist Guerrillas attacked South Vietnam and the US supported Ngo Dinh Diem By 1963 16,000 US troops had been sent to South Vietnam Diem lost the support of the people and protest erupted (Ex. Buddhist Monks) Upon approval from the CIA Diem was assassinated by his Generals Americans witnessed the protests through TV, US causalities increased

The Berlin Crisis In 1961 Khrushchev and JKF met in Vienna, Austria JKF felt he looked weak and second best Khrushchev threatened to force the Western powers out of West Berlin 3 million East Germans had fled to West Berlin since the end of WWII JFK told Americans we stay in Berlin August 13th, 1961 Khrushchev responded by allowing East Germany to construct The Berlin Wall

The Cuban Missile Crisis In the summer of 1962 the Khrushchev began shipping Soviet Offensive Nuclear Missiles to Castro In Cuba The US had Offensive Missiles in Turkey In October 1962 U-2 Spy planes took pictures of the weapons that could reach the US in minutes and destroy American cities

Kennedy’s Options Invade Cuba? Soviet Troops were present Bomb the Sites? Sneak Attack? Naval Blockade around Cuba, or a “Quarantine”

Brink of Nuclear War The US was on DEFCON 3, 100,000 US troops readied in Florida to invade Cuba The Naval Blockade was in place around Cuba The Soviet Cargo Ships stormed to the blockade, but then turned around Days later Khrushchev pledged to remove the missiles if we pledged not to invade Cuba, and secretly months later we removed our missiles from Turkey RFK was instrumental in dealing with the Soviet ambassador

Outcomes of the Crisis Khrushchev prestige was damaged, JFK looked stronger, but he was criticized for brinksmanship The Hot-line was established between Washington/Moscow JFK wanted to relax Cold War Tensions In 1962 the US and the USSR agreed to the Limited Test Ban Treaty which banned nuclear testing in the atmosphere